Generate a custom printable PVIF table for any range of interest rates and time periods. Set your own starting rate, increment, and number of rows and columns.
Configure Your PVIF Table
Interest Rates (Columns)
Maximum 20 columns
First column interest rate
Increase per column
Periods (Rows)
Maximum 360 rows
First row period number
Increase per row
Present Value of $1 (PVIF)PVIF = 1 / (1 + i)^n
How to Use This PVIF Table Generator
The PVIF table generator lets you create a present value interest factor table precisely matched to your analysis. Set the starting interest rate, the step between each rate column, the starting period, and how many rows and columns to include.
Step by Step
Enter the number of interest rate columns you need (up to 20), then set the starting rate and the rate increment between each column. For periods, set the starting period number and the increment per row, then click Generate Table. The resulting table shows each PVIF value at the intersection of a rate and a period.
Using the Table Values
Example: You want to have $10,000 in 10 years. Your account earns 5.25% per year. Look up n = 10, i = 5.25% in your generated table. If the PVIF shows 0.59949, multiply: $10,000 × 0.59949 = $5,994.90 is the amount you must invest today.
The PVIF Formula
PVIF = 1 / (1 + i)^n
Where i is the interest rate per period as a decimal (for example, 5% = 0.05) and n is the number of compounding periods. This assumes compounding occurs once per period. For multiple compounding periods per year, adjust i accordingly before entering.
What Is a Present Value Interest Factor?
The present value interest factor (PVIF) is a number between 0 and 1 that converts a future dollar amount into its present value. It captures the effect of both the interest rate and the time period in a single multiplier.
A PVIF close to 1.0 means the money arrives soon or the interest rate is very low, so little discounting applies. A PVIF close to 0 means the money is far in the future or the interest rate is high, so a large discount applies.
Why PVIF Tables Are Useful
Before spreadsheets, PVIF tables were the standard tool for financial analysis in textbooks and boardrooms. They remain useful today for quickly comparing multiple scenarios, teaching finance concepts, and performing checks without a calculator. Once you have the table, you can apply any PVIF to any dollar amount instantly by simple multiplication.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about PVIF tables, how to read them, and how they relate to present value calculations.
A PVIF table shows pre-calculated discount factors for different combinations of interest rates and time periods. Each cell shows the present value of $1 received in the future. You multiply the PVIF by any future amount to find its present value today.
The PVIF formula is PVIF = 1 / (1 + i)^n, where i is the interest rate per period as a decimal and n is the number of periods. For example, at 5% for 10 years: PVIF = 1 / (1.05)^10 = 0.6139.
Find the row for your number of periods and the column for your interest rate. Read the factor at that intersection, then multiply it by your future value. For example, if PVIF = 0.6139 and your future value is $10,000, the present value is $10,000 × 0.6139 = $6,139.
PVIF stands for Present Value Interest Factor. It is the discount factor that converts a future dollar amount into its equivalent present value, given a specific interest rate and number of periods.
PVIF values decrease as the number of periods increases because money further in the future is worth less today. The longer you must wait to receive a dollar, the more its present value shrinks due to the opportunity cost of not having that money now to invest.
PVIF is used for a single lump sum payment. PVIFA (Present Value Interest Factor of an Annuity) is used for a series of equal periodic payments. PVIFA sums the PVIF values across all periods of an annuity, and equals (1 minus PVIF) divided by i.
No. PVIF is always less than or equal to 1 for positive interest rates. A PVIF of exactly 1.0000 occurs only when the period is zero. For any positive interest rate and any period greater than zero, PVIF is always less than 1.
Standard PVIF tables show 4 or 5 decimal places. Four decimal places is sufficient for most financial calculations. For very precise valuations or academic use, 5 or 6 decimal places may be used. This table generator displays 5 decimal places for accuracy.
